John Canzano: You can't put it all on Oden

[¹²³]

LOS ANGELES - There is a tall plastic garbage can just down the hallway outside the visiting locker room at Staples Center.

A couple of years ago, toward the end of a dismal season, then-Trail Blazers general manager John Nash hunched over the thing, face buried in his hands, peeking at a postgame box score.

I only bring this up today because Blazers center Greg Oden is in a room down the hall, his right foot being X-rayed. And Tuesday's opener is in the fourth quarter. And you can hear the thump of the house music dancing down the brick walls, and the Lakers are performing the Riverdance on the first day of Portland's dreamy season.

And, yeah, my laptop is sitting on top of that garbage can as I write this column.

You go where the story takes you, don't you?

The Lakers beat the Blazers 96-76 on Tuesday. Oden fell awkwardly in the first quarter, limped around a little, and didn't ever look comfortable. He went scoreless in his debut. X-rays were inconclusive, so they termed it a "mid-foot" sprain, and the franchise player will undergo an MRI today.

Oden's NBA career so far: Right knee. Right ankle. Right foot. And right about now, there are five toes that have to be wincing and bracing every time the big guy takes a step.

It's time for the Blazers to move their season expectations on without Oden. There's been too much waiting, and too much worry, and too much pressure, and it all feels so ridiculous when you see the line of team personnel who wander up and down the hallway, brows furrowed, wondering, "What now?!?!" when it comes to the limbs of the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft.

"You hear about him?" they asked, one by one.

"Yeah."

Link

 

[maxiep]

Fuck Canzano. I'm not afraid to be positive. GO will be back and he will be dominant. So what if he's out for a few weeks or months because of a freak injury? I'll let others get their exercise jumping on and off the bandwagon.

Go Blazers.

 

[1 Eye Jack]

Fuck Canzano. I'm not afraid to be positive. GO will be back and he will be dominant. So what if he's out for a few weeks or months because of a freak injury? I'll let others get their exercise jumping on and off the bandwagon.

Go Blazers.

I have to agree. Little fed up with everyone jumping off the bandwagon this morning because of a freak injury to his foot. That could have happened to anyone last night. Big fucking deal, he'll be back either in a week or 8 weeks doesn't matter. I'm more disappointed in Roy, Blake and LMA last night. All three played shitty and lacked the intensity needed to win last night.

 

[¹²³]

I am not sure you guys read the entire article. He also says things like this:

They must know they're good enough to win without Oden. They must realize they're good enough to be a playoff team without him in the lineup. Tuesday's anemic performance doesn't need to be forgotten, it needs to serve as a reminder that dreams are awfully tenuous when you build them on scar tissue.

When Oden returns, and he will, he needs to be viewed as a complementary piece.

Because if you're counting on Oden, and he doesn't develop, or continues to suffer from nagging injuries, you might as well open the lid on that trash can and deposit all those expectations inside.

Count on Brandon Roy. Count on LaMarcus Aldridge. Count on general manager Kevin Pritchard to make a shrewd move at the trade deadline.

But do not count on Oden.

Not yet.

Be surprised when Oden shows up as a force, and the belief here is that he will at some point. Still, force yourself to adjust the expectations today. It's probably the fairer thing to do with a player who hasn't had a healthy full season since he was in high school. And it's the only way you're going to avoid being perpetually disappointed.

 

[PapaG]

Fuck Canzano. I'm not afraid to be positive. GO will be back and he will be dominant. So what if he's out for a few weeks or months because of a freak injury? I'll let others get their exercise jumping on and off the bandwagon.

Go Blazers.

You clearly didn't read the entire article. Canzano is actually dead-on; too much has been placed on Oden's shoulders at this point.

 

[maxiep]

You clearly didn't read the entire article. Canzano is actually dead-on; too much has been placed on Oden's shoulders at this point.

I did read the entire article. I say that Greg Oden will be the best center in the league in two years. Can we win without him? Sure. Is it wrong to place high expectations on him? Absolutely not.

 

[PapaG]

I did read the entire article. I say that Greg Oden will be the best center in the league in two years. Can we win without him? Sure. Is it wrong to place high expectations on him? Absolutely not.

Man, I hope so, but I just don't see it. He can be elite, but let's temper the talk of "all-time great" until he proves he can play for more than 3 minutes without an injury.

 

[blue32]

Let's hope the news today is good, eh?

 

[maxiep]

Man, I hope so, but I just don't see it. He can be elite, but let's temper the talk of "all-time great" until he proves he can play for more than 3 minutes without an injury.

You don't see it, I do. We'll agree to disagree.

 

[BenDavis503x]

Wow for once Canzano is right.

 

[PapaG]

You don't see it, I do. We'll agree to disagree.

I see the potential, but I also see a guy who can't stay healthy thus far in his career. My worry is health-related, not ability-related.

 

[¹²³]

Is it wrong to place high expectations on him? Absolutely not.

I don't think it's wrong, but I do think it isn't wise.

 

[oldmangrouch]

I don't think it's wrong, but I do think it isn't wise.

Yep.

People tend to forget that Bowie was actually a pretty good player - when he could actually play. That and a side of fries leaves you with - a side of fries.

As long as the future is built on the notion that Oden is going to carry the team, we are setting ourselves up for heartbreak.

 

[maxiep]

Give me a break. I've been a Blazer fan since day one of the franchise, but this negativity is making me ill. Have some belief in your team. The worst that will happen is that you'll be disappointed.

 

[¹²³]

No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Well if Canzano thinks we should lower our expectations of Oden, he should send that letter to the Blazers.

The Blazer organization has been hyping up Oden since day one . . . in fact befroe then with the who do we pick ODen or Durant? Blazers have been marketing Oden and leaking out the idea of how dominate he is, he is part of the core with Roy and Aldridge, playing commercials where the Blazers get the first pick in the draft, ect.

Blazers have set the expectations . . . we as fans took the bait and now we should lower expectations? I don't think Blazers are going to lower ticket prices or offer refunds for those who bought season tickets because of they hype about Oden.

No my expectations are what the Blazers have created, Oden is one of the core players for the Blazers and losing him for a significant amount of time will absolutely suck.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I agree with Canzano for once.

How can you not given all Greg's injuries so far?

We should feel lucky we still have Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge to fall back on.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I agree with Canzano for once.

How can you not given all Greg's injuries so far?

We should feel lucky we still have Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge to fall back on.

Well, if you're going to go there...

do you mean Brandon "Talus Bone and 3 knee surgery" Roy and LaMarcus "Heart Surgery" Aldridge?
Yeah, me either.

 

[¹²³]

Well if Canzano thinks we should lower our expectations of Oden, he should send that letter to the Blazers.

The Blazer organization has been hyping up Oden since day one . . . in fact befroe then with the who do we pick ODen or Durant? Blazers have been marketing Oden and leaking out the idea of how dominate he is, he is part of the core with Roy and Aldridge, playing commercials where the Blazers get the first pick in the draft, ect.

Blazers have set the expectations . . . we as fans took the bait and now we should lower expectations? I don't think Blazers are going to lower ticket prices or offer refunds for those who bought season tickets because of they hype about Oden.

No my expectations are what the Blazers have created, Oden is one of the core players for the Blazers and losing him for a significant amount of time will absolutely suck.

It is a business and I think the Blazers organization is doing a fine job to hype and market this team. They are set to profit from this situation and it seems they accomplished that.

That does not mean that the fans shouldn't lower their expectations.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

It is a business and I think the Blazers organization is doing a fine job to hype and market this team. They are set to profit from this situation and it seems they accomplished that.

That does not mean that the fans shouldn't lower their expectations.

Well if fans lower their expectations, I think it is legit to question whether Oden was worth the #1 pick.

Everyone is entitled to their own expectations, but when the Blazers get the first overall draft pick in a year that there were two supposed franchise players and one franchise center that only comes around once a decade . . . my expectations are going to remain high . . . or I can start talking about how the golden child should no longer be considered the golden child.